Before & After: A Narrow NYC Kitchen Lightens Up

For years, Jenna and her husband had been wanting to lighten and modernize the narrow kitchen in their Chelsea apartment. Finally, after living there for six years, the impending birth of their daughter gave them the hard deadline they needed to finally take the remodeling plunge.

The old kitchen was full of dark, heavy finishes, which sucked all the light out of a very narrow space. The bones of the kitchen stayed, but Jenna and her husband replaced the floor, countertops, backsplash, and cabinet fronts, resulting in a bright, sophisticated, and welcoming space.

Since the cabinets and appliances from the old kitchen were still in good condition, the couple chose to keep the appliances and replace only the cabinet fronts, an important moneysaving decision. The new white cabinet fronts help to bounce light around the space, and the agate pulls add a touch of luxury.

If you love marble but hate the idea of babying your contertops, you’ll be inspired by the solution Jenna and her contractor came up with for the kitchen. The white solid surface countertop is hardworking and low-maintenance, and the grey marble hex tile backsplash brings in the texture and beauty of marble, without all the hassle.

The finishing touch to the new kitchen is the slate floor, which brings in a bit of natural texture while preserving the light, airy feel of the new space. It also coordinates beautifully with the stone pulls and marble backsplash, for a kitchen that’s beautiful and bright but still has a stylish, natural warmth.

Check out the stylish renovation of the home’s main bathroom right here.

Jenna and her husband found their contractor on Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with local general contractors. You can read more about the project, see more photos, and find sources on the Sweeten blog.